[slantram]

New guy here with a question-Can I use a cable(3.5 mm/2 RCA) to go from the Hdphone jack to the Tape In on my receiver to listen to Internet Radio? It's a mid 2007 24' iMac. Thanks for any input. Slantram

[Crimson]

New guy here with a question-Can I use a cable(3.5 mm/2 RCA) to go from the Hdphone jack to the Tape In on my receiver to listen to Internet Radio? It's a mid 2007 24' iMac. Thanks for any input. Slantram

Hello and welcome to AC!

To answer your question, yes you can. Just make sure you use a stereo 3.5mm jack to dual RCA, and that the Tape In on your receiver does not bypass its volume control.

[slantram]

Crimson,Another question- I'm using a Sony A/V receiver STR-K850P,any idea if the volume is before or after the Tape In? I don't have a clue. Thanks, Slantram. Oh, do I use the volume control on the iMac to set a signal level to feed the Tape In?

[Russell Dawkins]

If I could step in for a second, as someone whose set up is organized this way.

I am not aware of any receiver/integrated amplifier where the "tape in" was not followed by the volume control, just like any other input.

"Tape out", on the other hand, is at a fixed level, independent of the volume control setting. The intention is for volume changes in listening level not to affect any recording that may be going on from the tape out jacks.

You could compare the hiss levels with the iMac at full output vs at some partial setting, and you can control the levels at either place, whichever is most convenient.

If you use maximum output from you iMac you run the risk of getting blasted if you remove the 3.5mm plug without remembering to lower volume.

[srb]

The Tape In is a standard analog input controlled by the receiver's volume control.  If you are using the iMac headphone out, it is an amplified analog signal, and you may have to adjust it to prevent distortion or overloading the receiver's tape input.
 
If your iMac is recent enough to have the combination analog/digital optical headphone jack, you might get better results connecting it to one of the receiver's digital optical inputs with a Mini-Toslink to Toslink optical cable.
 
If you do connect it with an optical cable, it is best to have the computer's volume control all the way up, as you do lose some bits of resolution with a digital volume control.
 
Steve